Melan designs the operating framework for research partnerships — roles, IP ownership, milestones, funding, and governance defined from day one so collaborations succeed.
Research partnerships fail from bad structure, not bad science. We develop strategic partnership frameworks rooted in science and built for commercial reality, whether you are a corporation seeking external R&D or a university licensing technology to industry. Our partnership model adapts to each engagement — from alliance strategy to full coalition framework design.
How It Works
We start with your R&D goals and map the partnership landscape — who has the capabilities you need, what structure works for both sides, and how to govern the relationship. The output is a collaboration plan and partnership roadmap ready to execute.
For multi-party engagements, we design coalition framework and teaming strategy structures that align incentives across institutions. Partnership strategy often begins with competitive landscape analysis to identify the right partners, and leads into research program management once the partnership launches.
What We Cover
Our collaboration planning covers every element of the partnership lifecycle — from partner identification through strategic alignment and governance. Each engagement produces a partnership roadmap ready to execute.
- Partner identification: Match capabilities, culture, and strategic fit within your partner ecosystem
- Deal structuring: Define milestones, IP rights, funding terms, and governance models
- Risk mitigation: Address licensing conflicts, publication rights, and exit provisions early
- Strategic alignment: Build frameworks that adapt as research progresses and synergies emerge
Related Case Studies
Bayer and University of Colorado Anschutz’s Clinical Trial Blueprint
Bayer signed its first-ever strategic alliance with an academic medical center, replacing project-by-project clinical trial contracts with a single multi-therapeutic area framework covering seven disease areas — partner identification, deal structuring with pre-negotiated terms, and strategic alignment across oncology, cardiovascular, neurodegeneration, and cell and gene therapy. Our analysis shows how moving from transactional to strategic partnership created shared infrastructure investment and faster trial launches.
Sanofi and Semmelweis Build Drug Development Hub
Sanofi designated Semmelweis University as its official early development key site for Central and Southern Europe, formalizing a relationship built on 17 prior joint trials into a strategic framework with dedicated research collaboration, digital infrastructure pilots, and researcher training programs — partner identification, deal structuring for geographic expansion, and risk mitigation through proven operational track record. Our analysis demonstrates how transactional relationships convert into strategic partnerships when both sides commit to shared infrastructure.
Explore Our Other Capabilities
- Competitive Landscape Analysis
- IP Strategy and Licensing Support
- Technology Scouting
- Research Program Management
- Portfolio Intelligence
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of partnerships does Melan structure?
Corporate-university research collaborations, joint R&D agreements, strategic partnerships, licensing partnerships, and multi-institutional consortia. We also design joint venture approaches and co-marketing plans when the partnership model requires it.
Do you work with startups?
Yes. Startups often need partnership frameworks to access research capabilities they cannot build internally. We structure deals that work for both sides — from teaming strategy to partner ecosystem development.
How does this connect to IP strategy?
Partnership strategy defines the structure. IP strategy and licensing support handles the intellectual property specifics — ownership, licensing terms, and freedom-to-operate.
